Don't take it personally
by Marie Grossett

Maureen had just finished the last chapter of her manuscript. She was so pleased with it that in her eyes nothing was wrong with it. She wanted to share this excitement with someone so she got her friend to read it.

Her friend thought it was good but there were parts that could be improved upon.

"What does she know?" Maureen thought. "I know I will get a professional to look at it."

Once she received the feedback from the professional Maureen got angry, "You mean I paid three hundred and fifty pounds just for you to tear down my work." She said to him "How dare you I will get someone else who knows what they are talking about to look at it."

"When will she get the hint?" I hear you thinking.

Unfortunately there are aspiring writers just like Maureen who refuse to take constructive criticism concerning their work, and then wonder why it is only their friends or family that read or buy their books.

I meet my friend who works as an Editor with a publishing company who states she had to let goof around twenty percent of aspiring authors as they was not receptive to taking criticism, "We don't want authors who cannot accept the fact they need to make improvements to their work."

I have been there I understand that you do get bruised when someone doesn't like or agree with what you have written, after all you have spend your time even missed out on your social life just to complete this manuscript. When I was having my work critiqued by someone I thought the person was jealous, jealous of the possibility of me becoming an author, so like Maureen I got a second opinion whose comments was similar to the first person that critiqued my work.
However unlike Maureen I got the hint the second time and to this day I believe it's because of their help it enhanced my chances of getting published, which I did.

The ones who tell you the truth is who you want to be around. If you want to take writing seriously and be in the New York Times bestsellers list, then you have to take constructive criticism and don't be offended.
No agent or publisher wants an author who thinks they know it all and won't accept improvements. If you know that you will be upset by critiques then maybe being a serious author is not for you. You need a thick skin in the publishing industry just like you would in music or fashion.

I'm not saying that you cannot ask questions on why a chapter needs to be changed for instance, of course you can to get an understanding but don't go overboard.
So aspiring authors next time someone critiques your work be thankfully that they have taken their time to do so and don't take it personally.

Marie Grossett aka Vanessa Grossett is a published Author, and has interviewed best selling and award winning Christian Authors.

She is a Literary Agent at The Authors Care Services ltd. [email protected]

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